Electronic payment media are likely to figure importantly in the development of electronic commerce, and retail electronic banking services and products, including electronic money, could provide significant new opportunities for banks. Electronic banking may allow banks to expand their markets for traditional deposit-taking and credit extension activities, and to offer new products and services or strengthen their competitive position in offering existing payment services. In addition, electronic banking could reduce operating costs for banks. More broadly, the continued development of electronic banking and electronic money may contribute to improving the efficiency of the banking and payment system and to reducing the cost of retail transactions nationally and internationally. This could potentially result in gains in productivity and economic welfare. Consumers and merchants may be able to increase the efficiency, with which they make and receive payments, and enjoy greater convenience. Electronic banking may also increase access to the financial system for consumers who have previously found access limited. The scope of this report is necessarily restricted in two respects. First, it deals with the risk management of electronic banking and electronic money activities from a banking supervisory perspective only and does not, for example, address the monetary consequences. Second, while many of the risks described in the report apply both to bank and non-bank issuers and providers, this report addresses banks only